24 Hours of Moab

More like 16 hours and 32 minutes of Moab. That's how long it took me to travel 53.7 miles. If I had to give a single reason for stopping short of my goal, I would blame the blisters. I can't blame them though. Certainly they hurt like hell, but I new there would be pain. I feel good about the run, and I definitely felt better than I did in Boulder. I still wasn't prepared for the amount of discomfort I felt, and the focus obscuring power of exhaustion. Without the help of Grant, I don't think I would have done the last lap. In terms of the goal I had set, this run was a failure. However, I gained some seasoning and upped my longest run by over 3 miles. Live and learn.
What now? I'll rest a day or so more, and get back at it. I'll tweek my training a little, even though I feel like I trained smarter than ever. I'll drop some pounds, maybe get down to 170. I'll organize my gear more efficiently, because when I needed some things (like sunscreen) during the run, if there were more than two steps involved in getting it, it was too much to handle. I'll dial in the footcare situation. Lastly, I will continue to pull hard, stay focused and learn from the amazing group of people I have the honor of training with.
Running ultra marathons has given me a new view of time and distance, and time and distance from the everyday gives me a chance to see things a bit more clearly. It's sobering how small your troubles can seem when you are pushing through pain and discomfort in a wild and unforgiving place. Similarly, the things and people you take for granted are seen in a new light and put in their right place. Thanks to everyone.

A beard and a crazy look in his eye.

I am officially coming unglued. I have come to the realization that I am not a mature enough person or athlete to taper properly while maintaining a decent diet or even showering or shaving. Exercise is my drug, and like any good junkie my dosage needs are getting bigger and harder to maintain. Strength is my crutch. This past week of tapering down to no exercise has left me unshaven, un-showered and unable to even return phone calls or do the dishes. I am jonesing for Saturday like you don't even know. My days of tapering are over. I will train hard and consistent and right up to any future event, and take the results in stride like I would during any other day of training.
My return will be swift and vicious.

Tapering?

Not much to report today. I didn't do any serious work today, but I wasn't totally inactive.
6 x single arm KB clean @53#
4 x single arm KB snatch @53#
3 x box jump @36"
6 x single arm KB clean @53#
4 x single arm KB snatch @53#
3 x box jump @36"
4 x KB clean @70#
Always, before any event I have ever trained for, I feel like I'm going into hibernation while I am tapering. I am tired. I'd like to think I'm conserving my energy for the race. Either way, I'm ready to go. Tomorrow I have an opportunity to sleep in, and I'm going to take it. Sleep: what can't it do?

Stormy goodness

I rested again on Saturday. I'm not sure if this was a good idea or not, but I wasn't feeling too hot and decided to play it safe. It's a fine line.

Sunday-Procrastinated most of the day and around 3 o' clock I pulled myself to my feet and went for a trail run. It was one of those days, when every time I had an option to cut the run short, I really had to battle it out with myself. Today victory was mine, and I pulled through 9 miles. I got to run through the storm as it blew in from across the valley. It snowed hard and I had the trails all to myself. Perfect. See route HERE. 9 miles-1:45. Didn't push too hard and had plenty left in the tank when I got home.

Thursday
5 sets of 3 back squats @185#
3 minute rest between sets.
1 muscle up during each 3 minute rest.
Friday
rest day

I'm getting antsy and feeling a bit agitated. I am ready to do this run. I always get this way before an event I have been training for. I've never in my life felt this strong and I've never gone into an event without a nagging injury to worry about. Running has felt so natural lately, and I have been recovering quickly from hard days. My training isn't over until I have recovered from the race, so I just need to keep on it.

Closer

Noon-Left from the house and did a 4 mile trail run (36:36).I'm feeling strong and ready for Moab. Training is the hard part, and the race is the fun part. I know I will be pushing my mind and body into unknown territory, and that for me is the reward. I plan on leaving it all out there on the trail. I've been pushing hard everyday, and of course things haven't been perfect. Now the question is, "What are my limits?". Not the limits the little I has built for protection, but real limits. Letting go of control (imagined or real) is a fear that I will need to face.

"When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself." -Shunryu Suzuki

5pm-One Curtis P @95#, every 30 seconds for 10 minutes. Curtis P is a sweet barbell complex from Mountain Athlete. One rep of the Curtis P is, one clean, one lunge right, one lunge left and one push press. I just wanted to try it out and take it easy. 100 for time is my next goal.

Re-focusing

Started a new warm up routine focusing on single arm work and some general weak spots. I'll do this for about a month. It looks like this:
25 back extensions
25 sit-ups
30 second handstand hold
30 second one arm plank hold (each arm)
30 second one leg L-hang (each leg) to help my pistols
10 single arm pull-ups on band (each arm)
10 single leg suitcase dead lifts @53# kb
10 snatches @75#
10 OHS @75#
hold elbow lever as long as possible.

Noon- Warm up
Then
5k row for time
(19:56) *20 seconds slower than sometime in December, but I took it intentionally easy and felt good.

5pm-Warm up
Then
Giselle
4 Rounds for time of:
5 OHS @115#
10 box jumps @24" box
15 kb swings @53#
400 meter run
(14:50)
*2 seconds slower than November 25.

I'm back!

I got out on the trails this morning, and it felt so good. I felt light and really focused on my posture and overall form.
A.M-Run/8.1 miles(1:22:57). About 1500 feet of elevation gain and 1500 feet of loss. ROUTE.

Teeth

I've had to take a few days off because of some dental work, but I should be back in action tomorrow. I've got to do something, because I'm going nuts.

Teamwork

I did a team workout today with B.J. It was a good time and just what I needed.

Trevor:
300 pull-ups
400 push-ups
500 sit-ups
600 squats

We worked simultaneously and finished in 61:50. My work looked like this:
150 pull-ups
190 push-ups
290 sit-ups
355 squats.

I like the team workout concept and would like to see more. Toby commented on the gym's website that you work harder when someone is depending on you. Too true. Nice working with you B.J.

Slow and heavy.

25 rounds of
2 thrusters @135#
2 sumo dead lift high pull @135#
I did not time this, and just did rounds in between helping clients. This is one of my favorite movement combos, and even though I took my time, I am worn out.

2 good days.

Saturday
Short warm up.
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Tire flips (the big one)
Burpees
Wall ball shots @20# medicine ball
(9:46)
Later
1 hour 30 minute run/hike with Tara.

Sunday
Warm up with:
500 meter row
100 jump rope singles
500 meter row
100 jump rope singles
25 kb swings @35#
Hip mobility drills
25 kb swings @35#
Then
50 rounds of the following for time:
5 walking lunges @35#kb in each hand
5 push presses @35#kb in each hand
(33:45)
Later
1 hour 30 minute run/hike with Tara

My training is really coming together and I feel great. I feel like I am on track to reach my goal at the 24 hours of Moab. I've set the bar high for myself with a 100 mile goal in 24 hours. I'm so happy to get to spend time with Tara doing what we love. I also have the honor of running with my gym mates. Vi is one of the hardest dudes I know, and I know he's going to push me, and I hope to do the same for him. I will have the experience and expertise of Murray (also one of the hardest dudes) to call on as well. I can't think of a better environment in which to push myself to the limit.

Legs

Started running at 5 am this morning. It was so peaceful on the trail in the dark. I could see the headlights streaming by on the freeway so quiet. I tried out a new route and took a couple of wrong turns, but that's not what really threw me off. Don't make all your plans based on google maps, because newer construction is rarely represented and elevation change can be deceiving. I ran the shoreline trail from my place to North Salt Lake and it looked a bit different when I arrived. That, and it was dark. I planned to follow the gas pipeline up and over the ridge and drop down into City Creek Canyon. I got there, but the pipeline route goes straight up. I need hill training and I got it Rocky IV style in knee deep snow. I made the ridge and followed some moose tracks since he was going the way I was going. After dropping into City Creek, I cut it short and headed home. My distance and time are a reflection of the wrong turns, steep climb and deep snow. It felt good to adventure out on an unknown (for me) route.

Trail (sort of) run: 3 hours 15 minutes-9.8 miles (no shit). Route and elevation profile HERE.

3 hours later
5 x 5 push press
135,155,155,155,155#.
Then
8 rounds of bottom to bottom tabata squats (20 seconds work/ 10 seconds rest with rest taken at bottom of squat). Lost count.
Rest 5 minutes
8 rounds of tabata row (20 seconds work/ 10 seconds rest) 816 total meters.

Staying focused

Things are going well and I feel like I'm in the groove with training. I'm in the middle of a job change which is throwing me off, so I need to keep my eyes on the goals ahead. All of them. I love training people because the hard work they put in at the gym goes so much further than the physical. I'm learning so much from the awesome group of people I work with and I hope they feel the same. Stronger bodies = stronger minds and vice versa.

Warm up with 3 rounds of:
10 overhead squats
10 push-ups
10 box jumps @30"

Then, with a continuously running clock, do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second and so on until you can't make the number.
(11 full rounds and part of 12)

2 minute handstand hold.
(1 minute 55 seconds for the first hold, then 5 seconds)

200 meter farmer carry with 70# kettlebell in each hand.
(Set the KBs down twice)

Spring, sort of.

2:00 pm
Warmed up with a 5 minute bike ride to the trailhead.
After that I ran trails for 1 hour 5 minutes. Route and elevation profile HERE.
Cooled down with an easy bike ride to the gym.
6:00 pm
Warmed up with 500 meter row, then 2 rounds of 10 lunges and 10 squats.
Then:
5 rounds for time
800 meter run
10 overhead squats @95#
20 ring dips
(31:25) **used smallest band for the dips on the last two rounds**

Weak sauce

Yesterday I had zero energy and did nothing. Today was the same, but I managed to do some work.
2.3 mile bike ride from gym to home.
2.3 mile run from home to the gym.
Warm-up with 3 rounds of:
20 overhead squats w/pvc
10 box jumps @ 24"
Then:
50-40-30-20-10 reps for time
Knees to elbows
Double unders
(23:23)
Not the big volume day I had in mind, but it made me feel better. Should be ready to rock tomorrow.